An integrated circuit (IC) die may include electrical devices that are integrated with a semiconductor substrate. The IC die may also include conductive paths that electrically couple the electrical devices to one another and to external connections. The die may include several layers of conductive paths, with each layer separated from adjacent layers by an inter-layer dielectric (ILD). The ILD may comprise a material having an extremely low dielectric constant (k) in order to minimize capacitance coupling and crosstalk between the conductive paths.
Low-k ILD materials often exhibit a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that differs significantly from other elements to which they are coupled, such as the other elements of an IC die and an IC package. Moreover, these materials are often brittle. Many low-k ILD materials are prone to cracking during IC die fabrication and/or operation due to these characteristics.